Megaloblastic anaemia after pelvic radiotherapy for carcinoma of the cervix.
A 71-year-old woman was treated with radiotherapy for carcinoma of the cervix. Nine year later she was found at laparotomy to have a thickened narrow ileum. At the time she had an iron-deficiency anaemia and when this was treated the blood picture changed to that of a severe megaloblastic anaemia. This was due to cobalamin deficiency resulting from malabsorption of cobalamin by the damaged ileum.
D000368:Aged; D000748:Anemia, Macrocytic / Q000209:etiology*; D000749:Anemia, Megaloblastic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000528:radiation effects; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*